The attention economy
aeon.co
The attention economy
1–10 of 66 posts
Re: The attention economy
#2Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
Re: The attention economy
#3I understand that linking this plays into the thesis of this article, but I just wrote a piece about how this exact phenomenon plays into the 2016 election: https://medium.com/@2016GOPImplosion/the-new-new-normal-d45f...
Re: The attention economy
#4Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
Turn off internet and focus for a set amount of time before going back.
If you must read something online, save it using Pocket or a similar service, then read it offline.
Re: The attention economy
#5Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
I have read that self-discipline is like a muscle that you can work out, and I believe it. Start off by making a real effort at truly working this muscle for a few minutes. Exercising self-discipline completely for 10 minutes is worth much more than only half exercising it for 60.
I have found a lot of use in timers. It's gimmicky, but putting a timer on my phone, and telling myself I will do only one thing until it goes off really works for me.
Re: The attention economy
#6Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
0) Pick something you want to focus on. It could be your breath, a picture, an article you want to read, the sounds in your environment...
1) Set a timer for the period you want to focus on it for. In the beginning, I'd pick short times, like 2 minutes, or 5 minutes.
2) Try to remain focused on whatever you picked. You will inevitably fail.
3) Do not get angry at yourself! Your mind is like a puppy. It will want to wander, and you're simply going to notice it has wandered, and then pull your attention back. Be gentle with yourself, because just like a puppy, your mind will internalize abuse and snap back at you in the future in unexpected ways.
4) Repeat 3) until the timer rings.
5) Hurray! Repeat this exercise as many times as you want, for the rest of your life. Experiment with how long you like setting the timer.
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This is "mindfulness" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness), in my own words.
Re: The attention economy
#7Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
Don't wait until you finally feel motivated or get focused. Remove distractions until all that's left is the work that needs to be done.
Re: The attention economy
#8Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
Read Deep Work. It's not a long book.
Re: The attention economy
#9Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
Don't wait until you finally feel motivated or get focused. Remove distractions until all that's left is the work that needs to be done.
> Remove distractions until all that's left is the work that needs to be done.
While this may be easier said than done, in my experience this is the only way I can focus for extended periods (i.e., a week) of time. Had to lock myself in a room to finish my dissertation.
Re: The attention economy
#10Does anyone have tips for re-gaining focused attention? Willing to try anything at this point.
I've had the most luck with a pomodoro timer. You basically commit to working for 15-30 minutes, then you take a short break. Take the breaks: they make your focus periods better. Meditating for a few minutes during breaks helps me. Try to shift your mindset from always drinking from the dopamine fountain, and tell yourself that it's a reward when you browse for a little bit during a break. Just make sure you start working again when the break is over.
Nothing is foolproof. Good luck.